The 71st Hunger Games
by chelsey.lawson.73
Summary: Ever wondered about Johanna Mason? Who were her family? what happened to them? why she keeps getting naked? Well now you can find out. This Is a backstory for Johanna Mason, find out about her. I will upload chapters as often as I can.


**Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games. **

Chapter 1

I'm only seven years old; it's a week until my eighth birthday. I'm running through the forest with my best friend Jareth, he leads me to a cave on the outskirts of district seven. Inside the cave are several planks of wood, different shapes and sizes "I've been saving this for months" he says "what are you going to do with it?" I ask. He smiles and hands me a plank "we are going to build a tree house." I return the smile.

Jareth has known me since he could walk, we are inseparable, and in fact Jareth was my first word. We search the forest until we find an old oak tree; we pick a good limb and start building. It only takes two days and we're finished, a grand work of art and our own private sanctuary. One day after Jareth's tenth birthday he took up whittling, he carved a lot of the furniture for the tree house, wooden toys for his little brother and ornaments for his bedroom. Whenever he gets out his knife and a block of wood I can't help but watch him carefully carve the little details.

On the morning of my birthday I go to my parent's room and jump up and down on their bed "wake up Mommy, Wake up Daddy" I chant. When they finally wake up I pull them out of bed "Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy, Jojo want presents." I say. I only talk like this when I want something. I run downstairs into the living room where I sit on the sofa, kicking my legs until Mom gives me my first present. New clothes! A red plaid shirt, denim overalls and leather boots. My next present is from Dad, a small silver axe with a red handle. I gasp when I see it, my very own axe! I pick it up and look at my reflection in the blade. I can't wait to use it. "See Jojo, now that you're eight years old I'm finally going to teach you how to use an axe. Gonna be a little lumberjack just like your old man." Dad says to me. I notice my Mom purse her lips but I think nothing of it.

Once I've had my breakfast and changed into my new outfit dad takes me out to the back garden where he's laid out some logs for me to practice chopping. He shows me how to hold the axe properly and he tells me that it's easier to pull the axe out of the wood if you put your foot on the log. After chopping about ten logs he leads me into the forest that surrounds my house "I'll chop down the tree and you can chop off the branches" he says to me. All the other lumberjacks point and awe at me saying how cute I look "awe, look at little Johanna, quite the little lumberjack"

"She looks just like her father"

"What a little cutie"

I scowl at the man who calls me a cutie. I'm not cute and I hate it when people say I am! How can I be cute? I'm the product of an ugly school teacher and a sweaty lumberjack.

My dad finds a pine tree and chops it down, then while he chops down a few more I start chopping off the branches. I'm officially a lumberjack. And before you can say _how much wood would a wood chuck chop if a wood chuck would chop wood_, it's sunset and we've been through a lot of trees. When we get home dad makes me have a bath and when I go into my room to dry off I find a new party dress laid out on my bed. It's three different shades of green with lots of ruffles and a leaf design on the skirt. I dry off and put the dress on. Then my mom comes into the room, brushes my hair and styles it in a ponytail.

I go downstairs to present myself to my party guests who arrived when I was in the bath. They all clap when they see me. Mom, Dad, Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents. Even Jareth and his family are here. Jareth hugs me and gives me a little present wrapped in brown paper and green ribbon. I open it to find a small wooden squirrel which he carved for me. I hold it close to my face to see all the details. The squirrel is holding a tiny acorn in his paws, this little tail curled up, he even has buck teeth. "You like it?" he asks me and I nod "it's the best present I've ever got" I tell him.

After opening all my presents and after eating dinner Jareth takes my hand and leads me into the tree house, he ties the ribbon from my present into my hair. "You look really beautiful tonight. That dress really sets off your eyes" he whispers. I don't know how but the moonlight makes him look different, like male models you'd see in some of my mom's magazines. "Thank you" I say, unable to look away from his emerald green eyes, beautiful compared to my chuck hazel eyes. Surely I must be sweating like crazy and my chest tightens. He stretches before saying "It's really hot in here, I'm gonna take my shirt off. No one's gonna stop me."Suddenly I can't breathe. His skin is so smooth and perfect for a boy from district seven "I can see why you're okay with people seeing your skin, it's perfect" I remark. "Even if my skin was scarred and bruised I would still show it off. You only get one life so you might as well enjoy the skin that you're in." He says. He's so right.

Suddenly I get really hot too. I ask Jareth to unzip my dress so I can just slip off the bodice which feels so refreshing. We embrace for a long hug, with this close proximity I can feel his heart beat increase and he starts to sweat. Noticing there's something wrong with him I pull away "what is it? What's the matter?" I ask him. He shakes his head "it's just...for the past year I've had a big crush on you." He says. I'm gobsmacked. I try to think of a reply but my mind is blank. What should I say? What _can_ I say? So instead of saying anything I hug him. Now I know what to say "thanks for being honest"

"Hey Johanna?"

"Yes?"

"Can I give you...A big wet one?"

"What?"

"A kiss?" This Question takes me by surprise. I never saw this coming. Now I really don't know what to say, I don't know what to do. He's only just confessed his feelings for me and now he wants to kiss. I sweat like crazy and I can hardly breathe, this is happening too quickly, too much pressure. I can't take it anymore so I'm forced to say "okay" just to get it over with. It's merely just a peck on the lips but it seems to be enough for him and it calms me down. He gently places a hand on my cheek, looks me dead in the eye and says "I love you" and just when I'm about to reply my mom calls out "kids, time for cake."

Jareth puts his shirt back on and I get back into my dress but Jareth forgets to zip me up. We leave the tree house to join everyone at the table. Much to my delight I spot a chocolate log cake in the middle of the table (they're very popular in district seven) everyone sings _happy birthday _then I blow out my candles and make a wish. I being the birthday girl get the biggest slice of cake. Since I rarely get cake I start eating as if I've never seen food before. Surly I'm getting frosting, cream and cake crumbs all over my face because my dad is laughing and my mom is rolling her eyes "Johanna Mason! You are eight years old for crying out loud! Eat like a lady!" she snaps. Everyone looks at me, and then at my mother, it's all silent at the table. Then my dad breaks it "For god's sake Judith, she's just a child. Besides it's her birthday."

"I'm well aware it's her Birthday. But she's _MY _daughter. And I want _MY _daughter to act like a proper young lady!"

I can't take this. I'm gonna do something to teach my mother that I'm a sweaty lumberjack, not a sophisticated teacher. Then I remember my dress is unzipped. I wriggle uncomfortably "my dress is itchy. I think I'll...Take it off." I say "don't you dare!"Mom hisses at me. I stand on my chair so everyone can see me, then I begin to strip, including my underwear. The cool air touches my warm, bare skin and it feels good. My grandmother faints. Jareth and his brother Billy are laughing. My Mom is furious "that's it, party's over! Everyone leave now!"

I climb down from my chair. And watch as everyone leaves. Jareth hugs me, kisses my cheek and then leaves with his family. My mom shakes her head at me "I spent hours making that dress and this is how you thank me?" she says. After hearing this I kick the dress into the mud. This takes her off her last nerve "I'll burn down your stupid tree house and make sure you never see that horrid boy you call a friend ever again!"She pushes me and I fall into the mud. I'd normally cry at a time like this, but I won't show any weakness! My dad slaps my mom "I've had it with you! Picking on me I can tolerate. But now you're picking on my daughter! Here's some money. That should be enough to get you started. Now get out of my house! I'll have your stuff ready for you to collect in the morning" He take off his wedding ring and throws it into the mud. My parents are divorced.

Mom leaves but not before knocking over the table. Dad picks me up and cradles me like a baby "come on ducky, let's get you cleaned up" He says. Ducky has been his nickname for me ever since I was a baby, because he made me a little duckling costume. It was his favourite thing to dress me in and it was my first Halloween costume.

Dad puts me in the bathtub and I wash myself while he puts shampoo in his hands and starts kneading my scalp "there ducky, wash away that awful memory" he says softly. Once I'm clean we mess around for a while, splashing each other, blowing bubbles and playing with my rubber duck "I remember when you were really little. You used to call him _bubby ducky" _dad says. He's being extra gentle with me tonight, treating me like a baby. He does this when he wants me to be calm, it's like his way of saying everything's alright and he's doing what he can for me. Most children my age would get angry at their parents for being treated like this, but I understand so I don't complain.

Dad picks up my duck and makes him talk in a funny voice "quack quack, hello Jojo. Quack I love swimming in the pond quack. And I love to sing. _I'm a happy duck quack, I'm a happy duck quack, I'm a happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy duck quack!"_ I giggle as if I'm two years old again. Then dad takes the plug out of the bath, grabs a warm towel and carries me into the living room where he lies me on the floor "wait here, I'll go get your pyjamas." He says. While he's upstairs I can't help but shed a tear. He's doing his best to make me forget about today. But I can't forget. It's too soon.

Dad returns with clean pyjamas and a bottle of baby powder "this will make you smell nice" he says to me. He dries me off and applies baby powder to my arms and legs then he dresses me in my pyjamas "if you're a good girl then we can stay up late" he tells me "yes daddy, I'll be good" I say. We go into the kitchen where we get ice cream with sprinkles and chocolate syrup and cherries. "You having fun their kiddo?" he asks me "yes daddy, I love ice cream" I reply. When we're done with our sundaes we go to watch TV. I put on a DVD from when I was little, the show on there are for ages 2-5 but I don't care, I like re-living my childhood. My favourite is about these two bananas who wear pyjamas and they're friends with three teddy bears, it may sound weird, but I like it. I fall asleep during the last episode and the last thing I remember is being kissed on the brow.

I wake up in my bed; dad must have carried me here. I get dressed into my shirt and overalls, tie my hair in a ponytail, put on my boots, pick up my axe and set off to work with my dad.


End file.
